Reform council won't aim for charter change: PM
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- PRIME MINISTER Yingluck Shinawatra yesterday denied that her plan to convene a political-reform council would lead to a charter amendment.

"This forum will have a broader vision [than charter amendment]. For example, [it will consider] how Thailand can move forward in terms of political reform, and how we can live together in the future," she said.

Yingluck also voiced support for former Senate speaker Ukrit Mongkolnavin's idea of setting up a council of senior advisers and inviting Privy Council President Prem Tinsulanonda to join the reform council. But she said she could not set the whole agenda, and wanted to leave the discussions up to other participants

The premier said she wanted to invite opposition and Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva and all "political coloured shirts" to join the forum.

However, the process of reform would be delayed to next week due to the second and third readings of the 2014 fiscal-budget bill debate in the House today and tomorrow, according to Deputy Prime Minister Phongthep Thepkanjana.

The government previously planned to begin holding political-reform brainstorming sessions involving stakeholders on Friday.

Those who have agreed to join the forum so far include Ukrit; former prime minister and Chart Thai Pattana Party chief adviser Banharn Silapa-archa; former prime minister General Chavalit Yongchaiyudh; former House speaker Uthai Pimchaichon; Senate Speaker Nikhom Wairatpanij; Chart Pattana de facto leader and former deputy prime minister Suwat Liptapanlop; and Culture Minister and Phalang Chon Party leader Sontaya Kunplome.

Also agreeing to attend are former Democrat Party leader Bhichai Rattakul; opposition Bhum Jai Thai Party leader Anutin Charnvirakul; 2006 coup leader General Sonthi Boonyaratglin; former Constitutional Court president Kramol Thongdhamchat; and the director of Mahidol University's Research Centre for Peace Building, Gothom Arya.

-- The Nation 2013-08-14

They won't aim for it, but it might happen by accident that charter changes are proposed/recommended?

Political reform agenda expected to lead to charter change
Hataikarn Treesuwan
The Nation

POLITICAL REFORM in Thailand has often led to constitutional amendment.

BANGKOK: -- The latest move for reform - the political reform forum - initiated by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, is also expected to end up with charter changes.

This scenario was confirmed by Deputy Prime Minister Phongthep Thepkanjana, who said, "it must be so" when asked if the political reform could lead to constitutional changes.

This is the reason why Banharn Silapa-archa, de facto leader of the coalition Chart Thai Pattana Party, was the first person invited by the government to join the political reform effort on August 3. During his premiership in 1995-1996, Banharn played an important role in the political reform efforts that led to the 1997 Constitution.

Coalition figures are claiming credit for their parties about the political reform idea.

Chart Thai Pattana politicians said the new political reform was proposed by Banharn. But a key Pheu Thai figure insisted that the idea came from politicians close to former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

However, former commerce minister Wattana Muangsuk, a close aide to Thaksin, denied it was Thaksin's idea.

"It's the prime minister's idea. She hopes political reform becomes a national agenda because an election is not the only answer for Thailand. She wants the people who have no political power to work with the government to solve the nation's problems," Wattana said.

Yingluck's government passed step one of political reform after government representatives invited stakeholders to join the forum scheduled to begin late this week or early next week. The number of participants should be more than 50, but not exceeding 100.

The second step will be to open a forum to discuss ways to heal Thailand's political divide. Then, a reform council will be formed that will propose a political reform plan to the government within two to three months.

The third step would be to amend the Constitution and other laws, as proposed by the reform council, according to a key Pheu Thai member.

"If the reform council suggests the government amend the Constitution, we can do it right away," the source said. A green light would lead to setting up of a constitutional drafting assembly.

Some invitees to the proposed forum, including Banharn, floated reform ideas that would need constitutional amendment to materialise. His idea was to invite all sides to join a unity government.

"Would it be possible for everyone to come and run the nation? Should we ask representatives from different political parties to join the administration?" Banharn said.

The ruling party also shares Banharn's view about a national government. A key Pheu Thai figure said constitutional amendment is required to allow government rivals and critics to join the current administration.

"The Yingluck government will invite representatives from different political parties to join a national government" after constitutional amendment, the source said.

The source said the plan calls for an amendment to increase the number of Cabinet members from the current 36. "The number of Cabinet members should increase by 10 per cent, to 40 members," he said.

The government also plans to change the charter's clauses about senators. According to the source, this is expected to allow government opponents involved in street protests or retiring members of independent agencies to become senators. Members of independent agencies tend to assume that the government is bad, because their main duty is to scrutinise the government, the source explained.

The goal of this latest reform is to allow political players from all sides to gain political power, according to the Pheu Thai source. "With everything the government does, we hope to reduce distrust from different parties," the source said.


-- The Nation 2013-08-14

Of course a political reform will need some charter change.

Here we'll see a nice change that makes the coup illegal gives pardon to the coup maker.

Than this anti corruption commission after the coup will be made illegal and therefor all the corruption they found on Thaksin will be taken out of the court as they are just an illegal result of the coup.

Dear leader comes back and can be our eternal premier or more.

Banharn Silapa-archa; General Chavalit Yongchaiyudh; Uthai Pimchaichon; Nikhom Wairatpanij; Suwat Liptapanlop; and Culture Minister and Sontaya Kunplome.

Bhichai Rattakul; Anutin Charnvirakul; General Sonthi Boonyaratglin; Kramol Thongdhamchat; Gothom Arya.

Ooooooh. The great and the good of Thai politics. Are they selling tickets, this should be quite a show of dum wittedness and stupidity. A combination of washed up corrupt politicians, corrupt relatives of exiled politicians, a couple of right wing nut jobs. A bizarre ex-army man who switched loyalties.

This ladies and gentleman is as low as the collection gets.

When you commission non swimmers to the position of life guard, you expect a few fatilities along the way. Just hope its the life commission who get sucked into the undertow. Most of them a bottom feeds, so they may be the true casulaties of the meet.

If they were for real they would first dump the amnesty bills and look in to the individual cases of the few (about 40) who are in jail.

The fact that that they wont torpedoes the whole thing right from the start.

Of course a political reform will need some charter change.

Here we'll see a nice change that makes the coup illegal gives pardon to the coup maker.

Than this anti corruption commission after the coup will be made illegal and therefor all the corruption they found on Thaksin will be taken out of the court as they are just an illegal result of the coup.

Dear leader comes back and can be our eternal premier or more.

Exactly, it's just another Thaksin idea of how to change the constitution to nullify all the actions of the post coup investigations and let him return home, a man free from charges.

Khun Anand already headed a reform panel, Khun Khanit also headed a panel regarding potential ways forward post 2110 Ratchprasong.

Why did the governments ignore those?

Banharn Silapa-archa; General Chavalit Yongchaiyudh; Uthai Pimchaichon; Nikhom Wairatpanij; Suwat Liptapanlop; and Culture Minister and Sontaya Kunplome.

Bhichai Rattakul; Anutin Charnvirakul; General Sonthi Boonyaratglin; Kramol Thongdhamchat; Gothom Arya.

Ooooooh. The great and the good of Thai politics. Are they selling tickets, this should be quite a show of dum wittedness and stupidity. A combination of washed up corrupt politicians, corrupt relatives of exiled politicians, a couple of right wing nut jobs. A bizarre ex-army man who switched loyalties.

This ladies and gentleman is as low as the collection gets.

Can not disagree with that at all especially with the likes of Chavalit. Mind you the incompetence and corruption of the current lot is on a par. Face it that Thai governance no matter who it is is full of corruption and incompetence. Look at the above two items where the puppet PM is saying no and the Deputy PM is saying yes. Different day, same incompetence.

Banharn Silapa-archa; General Chavalit Yongchaiyudh; Uthai Pimchaichon; Nikhom Wairatpanij; Suwat Liptapanlop; and Culture Minister and Sontaya Kunplome.

Bhichai Rattakul; Anutin Charnvirakul; General Sonthi Boonyaratglin; Kramol Thongdhamchat; Gothom Arya.

Ooooooh. The great and the good of Thai politics. Are they selling tickets, this should be quite a show of dum wittedness and stupidity. A combination of washed up corrupt politicians, corrupt relatives of exiled politicians, a couple of right wing nut jobs. A bizarre ex-army man who switched loyalties.

This ladies and gentleman is as low as the collection gets.

Can not disagree with that at all especially with the likes of Chavalit. Mind you the incompetence and corruption of the current lot is on a par. Face it that Thai governance no matter who it is is full of corruption and incompetence. Look at the above two items where the puppet PM is saying no and the Deputy PM is saying yes. Different day, same incompetence.

I think it really is at an all time low. In fact mirroring the run up to 97 far too closely.

She's damnded if she does and damned if she doesn't. The fact that she's invited the leader of the 2006 coup along with some right wing swivel eyed loons among others indicates her sincerity in wishing to bring about reconcilliation.

Before the usual suspects on here work themselves into a lather as they do in response to any of the democratically elected P.M.'s statements it's worth highlighting that this is just a forum and will have no legislative power although some ideas may make their way into the statuate book through the democratic process.

Calm down; it's only a proposed forum.

BANGKOK: -- PRIME MINISTER Yingluck Shinawatra yesterday denied that her plan to convene a political-reform council would lead to a charter amendment.

"Deputy Prime Minister Phongthep Thepkanjana, who said, "it must be so" when asked if the political reform could lead to constitutional changes."

Erm-----are these two views compatible? Or are charter amendment and constitutional change different?

Edited August 16, 201312 yr by Bluespunk

BANGKOK: -- PRIME MINISTER Yingluck Shinawatra yesterday denied that her plan to convene a political-reform council would lead to a charter amendment.

"Deputy Prime Minister Phongthep Thepkanjana, who said, "it must be so" when asked if the political reform could lead to constitutional changes."

Erm-----

One reason she goes abroad a lot is to avoid making gaffes like this at home where she reveals unwittingly she has no idea what's going on.